KOTA KINABALU: The government aims to increase green energy or Renewable Energy (RE) generation to 18,000 megawatts (MW) by 2035 compared to 8,700 MW currently.
Energy and Natural Resources minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the one-fold increase would make RE contribute 40 per cent to the country's energy supply in 2035.
He said his ministry had also set a target of 31 per cent renewable energy contribution by 2025 through various green energy generation initiatives, including the Large Scale Solar (LSS) project.
"The implementation of this RE development not only benefits the sustainability of raw material resources but is also environmentally friendly as it reduces carbon emissions to the environment.
"Therefore, the energy transition plan until 2040 sets a target of 31 per cent RE in installed capacity by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2035.
"The installed capacity for renewable energy in Malaysia so far is 8,700 MW, while by 2035 the capacity is projected to double to 18,000 MW," he told the media after launching the Sabah and Labuan LSS projects, here, today.
Also present were the chairman of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB), Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin; Energy Commission (ST) chief executive officer, Abdul Razib Dawood; chief executive officer of the Sustainable Energy Development Authority of Malaysia (SEDA), Datuk Hamzah Hussin and chief executive officer of SESB, Mohd Yaakob Jaafar.
Takiyuddin said the government through his ministry was working to increase the capacity of renewable energy in the country's electricity generation mix, including making the LSS programme a 'flagship' to increase renewable energy generation.
Meanwhile, he said the LSS programme in Sabah had been implemented through ST since 2017 with eight companies successfully bidding for the project for this year and having concluded an Energy Purchase Agreement with SESB.
The eight companies involved, he said, would develop LSS with a total power generation capacity of 67 MW involving an estimated development cost of RM268 million.
When completed and fully operational in June next year, he said the project was also targeted to reduce carbon emissions by up to 50,000 tonnes a year.
"We also hope that with the implementation of the LSS project in Sabah, it will be able to reduce the problem of insufficient energy supply experienced by consumers in the state," he said.
Earlier, Hasan said the eight bidders or developers for the LSS project were shortlisted by ST for the development of a Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plant in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.
He said the companies would develop their respective plants in Sandakan, Tawau, Kunak, Beaufort, Papar and Labuan districts.
"The development of the solar project includes the design, supply, construction, operation and maintenance of a Large -Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plant to supply electricity in the area," he said.